Cables of electrical conductors in data transmission or computer applications are typically formed of many wires running between the same terminations and are insulated from each other by embedding each conductor in a dielectric medium having an average dielectric constant. In cables having multiple conductors, the conductors are typically individually embedded in a solid dielectric material which also separates the conductors from each other to prevent short circuits. The individual cables may also be shielded and further surrounded by a common insulating sheath. Such cables are complex to construct and thus expensive. Moreover, faults such as open or short circuits may be invisible until start-up of the associated circuitry reveals them.